I want to change the oil myself in my 05 RL. I get free oil changes at the dealer, but if I do it myself I can use synthetic. Does anyone know how to take the plastic cover off underneath the car to get at the filter and oil drain plug. Looks like there are about 20 screws and plastic pop-offs, but it's not clear which ones have to be removed. I'm not putting the car on a lift/ramps so removing that many screws wouldn't be particularly fun.

Thanks

 

oil changes are very easy and no covers need to be removed. The oil drain plug is on the very back of the oil pan (underneath passenger foot area). The plug comes out with a 17mm wrench. The oil filter can be reach through the side of the car beyond the front passenger wheel. When you remove the filter, make sure the old gasket comes off before you install the new filter.

 

You're looking on the wrong side. The oil pan and drain plug are completely accessable from underneath (there is no cover or shroud over the oil pan) - it is on the right (passanger)side of the car -- as is the oil filter. The cover, with the 20 bolts is over the automatic transmission.

If you are not going to use ramps, you will have to at least jack the front of the car up (use jack stands for safety). There is not enough ground clearance to get a pan under the oil drain together with a wrench to remove the plug. Also, changing the oil filter without jacking or ramps is just about impossible. Easiest way, is to jack up and remove the right front wheel -- the filter is then easily accessable through the wheel well.

Good luck, but I would get a good set of ramps -- makes it easy to do both filter and oil from underneath the car in about 15 minutes.

 

Since you get free oil changes anyway, won't the dealer do the deed if you bring them the oil?

 

i change my own oil without jack stands. get a low profile oil pan and suck it in as you extend yourself under the car to do things.

 

I've found the easiest way to change the oil filter is to turn the front wheels all the way to the right. Then I just reach in to change the filter. It is a bit of a reach, so you can't get a lot of torque on the filter. Depending how tight the old filter was put on, you may need a wrench to get it off.